Philips And Skytron Team Up To Provide Hybrid Surgical Rooms For Minimally Invasive Procedures

Main Category: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 08 Jun 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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At the SVS Vascular Annual Meeting Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) and Skytron today announced a partnership to deliver hybrid operating rooms for minimally invasive cardiovascular surgical procedures. The solution combines Philips' cardiovascular X-ray systems with Skytron's surgery room equipment to enable clinicians treat cardiovascular patients in the same room.

Increasingly, clinicians require more versatile environments that enable them to carry out complex minimally invasive interventions. By working together to tailor solutions to meet each customer's needs, Philips and Skytron will deliver operating rooms that optimize workflow whilst reducing the length of the planning and installation process. As a result, clinical staff will benefit from a more tailored and intuitive environment that has the potential to reduce costs for the care provider and decrease the amount of time the patient spends in the hospital.

"By working together with Skytron we're able to provide hybrid operating rooms that offer flexibility along with easy to operate equipment in a room with optimal layout," said Bert van Meurs, senior vice president of cardiovascular X-ray, Philips Healthcare. "As a result, the amount of time clinicians spend worrying about technology is reduced, enabling them to spend more time focusing on the patient."

"The hybrid room solution from Skytron and Philips combines excellent medical equipment and information solutions, together with our experience in delivering turn-key hybrid operating rooms," commented David M. Mehney, President & CEO of Skytron. "By delivering a well-planned and coordinated design that puts flexible solutions at the fingertips of healthcare providers we're able to improve workflow and ultimately increase the utilization of the operating room."

Philips will provide interventional X-ray equipment and specialized imaging tables, whilst Skytron will deliver advanced operating room communications control integration, and surgical lighting and boom technologies specifically designed to support hybrid surgical suites. As a result, care providers will be able to carry out a wide range of image-guided interventional radiology procedures including cardiovascular, vascular & cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and orthopedics.

Skytron and Philips will work together across North and South America, including Latin America and Canada.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a global leader in healthcare, lighting and consumer lifestyle, delivering people-centric, innovative products, services and solutions through the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 134,200 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 27 billion in 2007, the company is a market leader in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring systems, energy efficient lighting solutions, as well as lifestyle solutions for personal wellbeing. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com.

About Skytron

Skytron provides innovative and efficient medical equipment solutions for a variety of settings and hospital departments, and is recognized across North America for the highest quality products, an extensive product menu and exceptional customer service. Skytron products include: general purpose and specialty surgical tables; imaging tables; full line surgical table accessories; surgical lighting, SkyVision O.R. video & data integration; emergency, procedure and exam lighting; birthing room, cath lab & ICU lighting; camera systems; space management and detachable equipment carrier skybooms; smoke evacuation systems; stainless steel storage cabinets; O.R. nurse documentation centers; warming cabinets; scrub sinks; washer-disinfectors, technology management programs, Turn-key Surgical Centers and the Skytron Asset Manager RFID-RTLS total asset management solution. Since 1972, Skytron has remained true to their commitment of "customer service first, everything else will follow". For more information on Skytron's quality products, visit www.skytron.us.